US politics 'obsessed' with ads (BBC article about Gore)

[AlGore-08.com]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/5291298.stm

By Kevin Young

Finding cash to fund TV commercials is "the only thing that matters in American politics now", former US Vice-President Al Gore has said.

"The person who has the most money to run the most ads usually wins," he told the Edinburgh TV Festival.

(snip)

On the subject of the expenditure of political parties, Mr Gore, a Democrat, said: "Two days ago, I was at an event helping to raise money for a candidate of my political party, running for governor in one of our most populous states.

"I asked the question of him: 'What percentage of your campaign budget, between now and election day in November, will be spent on television commercials?'

"The answer was 80%," he told an audience of several hundred media industry figures on the final day of the festival.

(more... )

[Vidar]

1. Sounds about right.

[sandyd921]

2. So true.

And of course the other part of that problem is where the money comes from to fund those TV ads...

[w4rma]

3. And where that money goes. (nt)

[ShockediSay]

4. M$M - - AND it doesn't have to be that way if we, the populace

own the airwaves

What is in place is a recipe for corruption

Real Democracies take note

[roseBudd]

5. 30 second TV commercials are the worst way to choose our leaders

[PATRICK]

6. And the expenses are multiplied

trying to cover all the diverse channels and audiences in the modern media, many of which have NO commercials anyway. It is time to give fee, cookie cutter even steven ads to all candidates and that will have the networks bending over backward to "contain" the revenue hit by fostering debates as a substitute.

But until the junky system somehow produces real reformers, where IS the central forum that can match the outreach if not the audio-visual punch of the TV box? Is is the car radio during drive time? Is it grueling telephone work and the mail? Can volunteers walk door to door with recorded visual messages and deliver what the scattershot TV slots only hope to do? The attention garnered by the big TV broadcast channels of old has shrunk but is aggravatingly core as it is corrupt. Political commercials become second class imitators of the private sector sales pitch and leave more than an impression, more like a proved certainty, that they represent the increasingly out of touch and divided TV "culture" that people on the street.

I do remember when the TV had the power of attention monopoly and visual clout(if content vapidity and time constraints still ruined the possibilities). Now it is an advertising tyranny, not ready for revolt, its rivals no more efficient and with less hypnotic control. It mental hold as a culture is stronger than its current lack of focus. Volunteers armed with facts, door to door, one on one cannot deprogram and educate, much less win over the lost citizenry. At this juncture, through the intrusions of long hard reality and horrendous scandals, the people this time are willing to listen. But the TV wars demand pablum and schoolyard brief trading taunts. The GOP has money to waste on TV but I wager they now the real effort must in various grass roots strategies to counter the open field deserted and left open to any energetic Dem campaign-

If only they had not been forced to waste their lesser resources on the humiliating servitude to the declining, democratically hostile, box. And still not reach enough people to get the votes they deserve.

At some point, by cleverly abandoning TV budget busters, loudly and publicly except for token targeted ads, the Dems might figure out the resources were better devoted and more cost effective on the streets, the radio, making actual news and above all- huge crowds that cannot be denied(but have been so far).

The mail is STILL the main way, but the lack of imagination is astounding, the traditional approach letting the consumer mind readily toss the political stuff into the garbage without having to read it.
I like the mail option of course because it is great for my own postal job, but seriously the two major
forms are the new family dentist pamphlet soothie smoothie or the attack dog hard paper cut sharp color glossies that do the smear shout outs. Or the tragic token, the one sheet flimsy that wouldn't even survive on a doorknob and its print is already fading These are all, all, poorly conceived if only for being so overused and abused as to be mostly ineffective except for some name recognition and one possible positive or negative vibe that won't simply push the voter over the edge against voting at all.

A national "catalog" of all senate and Congressional Dems, phones and websites might be daring, especially appealing for support in areas where the voter is despairing of making a local difference. People want to see leaders and heroes, not just fantastic issue stands. sell videos, tell them how to tune in and contribute. A national movement featuring the local guys prominently in regional variations(as mail order catalogs do). Lots of money for union workers(me!) at the Postal Service and less for big media. Ka-ching.

[RestoreGore]

7. So good to then have him out here as an advocate for the people

And yes, he is also correct that it is astounding that Americans watch so much television. But perhaps it is not the quantity but the quality that matters here. I'm sure people who may watch four or more hours of CURRENT everyday don't bother Mr. Gore ;-). It sure doesn't bother me as long as it empowers and tells truth that leads to the preservation of our most cherished principles as Americans. Citizen journalism is exactly where we need to go now. What we need is television that educates, inspires, stimulates, and brings about debate. Mr. Gore hopes to see CURRENT reaching 50 million homes by 2010. It is an attainable goal, but only with the help of the people standing up to the status quo by becoming involved in that process instead of supporting it. And as far as political ads are concerned, unfortunately the attention span of many Americans on such matters doesn't go beyond 30 seconds. It truly is sad. Kind of explains why Mr. Gore said what he did in my quote. That's why I'm thankful to have Al Gore out here amongst the people now to really be able to tell the truth that he would not be able to tell as a candidate for any office in the very corrupt political system that feeds the corporate media beast.

[RestoreGore]

8. any other commentary?

not to be rude, but I think any group that claims to support this man, should at least have something to comment about regarding his words besides just cutting and pasting an article.

[Supersedeas]

9. no, it is the Corp Media that wins even tho it is truly public airways